The European Union has extended restrictive measures against Russia for its actions in the criminal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol for another year, until June 23, 2026.
That is according to a statement posted on the website of the European Council.
“The Council today decided to renew the sanctions introduced by the EU in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, until 23 June 2026,” the statement reads.
The restrictive measures currently in place were first introduced in June 2014, and include prohibitions targeting the imports of products originating from the illegally annexed Crimea or Sevastopol into the EU, and infrastructural or financial investments and tourism services from the illegally annexed Crimea or Sevastopol. Furthermore, the exports of certain goods and technologies to Crimean companies or for use in illegally annexed Crimea in the transport, telecommunications and energy sectors or for the prospection, exploration and production of oil, gas and mineral resources are also subject to EU restrictions.
“The EU does not recognize and continues to condemn the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation as a violation of international law. Since 2022, Russia has further violated Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with its unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU remains steadfast in its commitment to Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and its inherent right of self-defense against the Russian aggression, and dedicated to fully implementing its non-recognition policy,” the statement reads.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Union has adopted 18 packages of individual and sectoral economic sanctions against the aggressor state. At the same time, the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation and its citizens back in 2014 for the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol — as well as for actions undermining Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity — remain in force and are regularly extended.
Source: EU extends sanctions against Russia for annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol
